# US 9,038,295 B2 · Apparatus pertaining to physically-discrete sign components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,295 B2 - Document ID: US9038295B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/527,408 - Filed: 2014-10-29 - Published: 2015-02-12 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-08 - Assignees: iLight Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: iLight Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Sean Edward Callahan; James Cuppini; Mark Joseph Cleaver; Timothy Edward Canzano; Edward Wayted Chen; Elizabeth Marie Randgaard; Chad Glenn Kirschner; Stephen Michael Oshgan; Paresh Shroff; Joseph Z. Wascow; Nicholas Patrick Jackson; Brian Alan Retzke; Daniel John Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038295B2 ## CPC - G09F 13/0404: {the light source being enclosed in a box forming the character of the sign} - G09F 13/22: electroluminescent (electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00) - G09F 2013/222: {with LEDs} - G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS ## Abstract A physically-discrete sign component comprises an internally-electrically-illuminated alphabetic character having a front-facing profile and at least one connecting bar disposed at least substantially horizontally with respect to the front-facing profile of the alphabetic character and at least partially within the front-facing profile of that alphabetic character. By one approach the physically-discrete sign component includes two of the connecting bars. If desired, these two connecting bars are disposed at least substantially parallel to one another. By one approach, a first one of the connecting bars extends partially, but not wholly, above an upper periphery of the aforementioned front-facing profile while the second connecting bar extends partially, but not wholly, below a lower periphery of the front-facing profile. The connecting bars can include a connecting-bar interface configured to physically and electrically interconnect to an adjacent sign component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a physically-discrete sign component including: an internally-electrically-illuminated alphabetic character having a front-facing profile; at least one connecting bar disposed at least substantially horizontally with respect to the front-facing profile of the alphabetic character and at least partially within the front-facing profile of the alphabetic character, the connecting bar being configured to attach directly to the connecting bar of an adjacent one of the physically-discrete sign components to thereby form a multi-component sign. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the alphabetic character comprises, at least in part, a light diffuser having a form factor that conforms to the alphabetic character, the apparatus further comprising: a plurality of light-emitting diodes disposed behind the light diffuser. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least some of the physically-discrete sign components have a front-facing profile having a proportional font-based width. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the physically-discrete sign component includes at least two of the connecting bars. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the two connecting bars are disposed at least substantially parallel to one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a first one of the connecting bars extends partially, but not wholly, above an upper periphery of the front-facing profile while a second one of the connecting bars extends partially, but not wholly, below a lower periphery of the front-facing profile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the two connecting bars each include a bridging electrical conductor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a first one of the bridging electrical conductors comprises a positive electrical power rail and a second one of the bridging electrical conductors comprises a negative electrical power rail. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 wherein both the first and second connecting bars each include a connecting-bar interface configured to physically and electrically interconnect to another such connecting bar of another physically-discrete sign component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the connecting-bar interfaces for the first connecting bar are at least substantially a mirror image of the connecting-bar interfaces for the second connecting bar to thereby discourage connecting the first connecting bar to a second connecting bar of another of the physically-discrete sign components. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the connecting-bar interfaces include at least one of an electrically-conductive blade and an electrically-conductive blade receiver. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the connecting-bar interfaces include at least one of a threaded-engagement member and a threaded-engagement member receiver. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: at least one end cap configured and arranged to connect to at least one of the connecting-bar interfaces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the end cap includes, at least in part: a power-input interface; a power-output interface; a power on/off switch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the power-input interface, the power-output interface, and the power on/off switch are disposed on a side edge of the end cap. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising another end cap that does not include a power-input interface, a power-output interface, and a power on/off switch. ### Claim 17 An apparatus comprising: a physically-discrete sign component including: an internally-electrically-illuminated alphabetic character having a front-facing profile; at least one connection point disposed outward of each opposing lateral side of the front-facing profile of the alphabetic character, the at least one connection point including a bridging electrical conductor and being configured to physically and electrically couple to another, laterally-adjacent one of the physically-discrete sign components via the connection points. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 wherein there are at least two of the connections points disposed laterally outward of each opposing lateral side of the front-facing profile of the alphabetic character. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the connection points on each opposing lateral side of the front-facing profile of the alphabetic character comprise opposing ends of a bar. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the bar comprises a substantially horizontal bar.